Parental Competitiveness and Sports

My rules for the sidelines.

I’m a competitive person. I don’t mean run of the mill competitive. I’m mean competitive.

If I’m using GPS in my car, I want to beat the estimated time of arrival. If I’m watching Jeopardy with my husband, I want to get more questions right. If we’re playing any sort of game, I get mad if I don’t win (even if the game was fair and square).

I also love sports. I ran track through the end of high school. I relished the competition. I ran faster if I had my sights set on someone ahead of me.

As my oldest has begun to play sports, it’s posed an interesting situation. How do I watch my son play sports, without letting my own competitiveness dictate my behavior on the sidelines or in the stands?

The answer? I focus on him. After all, it’s about him: he’s the one learning to play on a team, experiencing the highs and lows of sports in real time.

I’m proud when he scores a goal. I’m just as proud when his team works together to move the ball up field and someone else scores.

I’m proud when he has a solid at bat. I’m equally as proud when he cheers on his teammates for their good plays.

I love watching him interact with his coaches and teammates. It’s fun to watch him play against teams his friends are on. Their friendly banter throughout the game is hilarious.

My boys are just at the beginning of their time in sports. I trust their coaches to guide them. I trust them to learn how to handle themselves on the field of play.

I look forward to watching them succeed (and fail) more times than any of us will be able to remember.

I promise that I will always focus on them. I promise to tell them I’m proud of them after every single game. To celebrate with pizza when it’s called for.

Most importantly, I promise to always be there for them, in the stands or on the sidelines.

—

◊♦◊

The Good Men Project is different from most media companies. We are a “participatory media company”—which means we don’t just have content you read and share and comment on but it means we have multiple ways you can actively be a part of the conversation. As you become a deeper part of the conversation—The Conversation No One Else is Having—you will learn all of the ways we support our Writers’ Community—community FB groups, weekly conference calls, classes in writing, editing platform building and How to Create Social Change.

◊♦◊

Here are more ways to become a part of The Good Men Project community:

Join our Social Interest Groups—weekly calls about topics of interest in today’s world

View the website with no ads

Get free access to classes, workshops, and exclusive events

Be invited to an exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” with other Premium Members

Commenting badge.

Are you stuck on what to write? Sign up for our Writing Prompts emails, you’ll get ideas directly from our editors every Monday and Thursday. If you already have a final draft, then click below to send your post through our submission system.

If you are already working with an editor at GMP, please be sure to name that person. If you are not currently working with a GMP editor, one will be assigned to you.

◊♦◊

Are you a first-time contributor to The Good Men Project? Submit here:

◊♦◊

Have you contributed before and have a Submittable account? Use our Quick Submit link here:

◊♦◊

Do you have previously published work that you would like to syndicate on The Good Men Project? Click here: